Taking a Stand Against Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a global issue, and anyone from any country can become a victim. Within the United States there were more than 8,500 tips reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2017, 30% of which involved children under the age of 18.

Unfortunately, trafficked persons often go unnoticed. A 2014 study published in the Annals of Health Law found that nearly 88 percent of participants identifying as sex trafficking survivors had some contact with health care while being exploited (Lederer and Wetzel). A 2017 survey report from the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST) found that over half of labor and sex trafficking survivors surveyed had accessed health care at least once while being trafficked. Nearly 97 percent indicated they had never been provided with information or resources about human trafficking while visiting the health care provider. These studies underscore the reality that medical care providers are often unprepared to identify and appropriately respond to trafficked persons.

Dignity Health has taken a stand to change this reality by creating the Human Trafficking Response (HTR) Program. The HTR Program is championed by Dignity Health Senior Vice President, System Chief Nurse Executive, Page West, and Executive Vice President for Sponsorship and Mission Integration, Elizabeth Keith, with support from Dignity Health Foundation. The goal of this program is to ensure trafficked persons are identified in the health care setting and appropriately assisted with victim-centered, trauma-informed care and services.

Learn More

Dignity Health’s Human Trafficking 101: Dispelling the Myths provides basic education to health care professionals and other first responders about human trafficking, including definitions, prevalence, and common misconceptions. This module is narrated, includes video clips of survivors, and has the option to print a certificate of completion.

To learn more about the Dignity Health HTR Program, or to implement a similar program in your health care setting, please download the Dignity Health Human Trafficking Response Program - Shared Learnings Manual below. For additional information about the HTR Program, please read Human Trafficking: Recognizing and Responding to Victims of Human Trafficking by Holly Austin Gibbs, BA, and Dean White, LCSW (available in Collaborative Case Management, Issue 58).

Dignity Health’s Human Trafficking Response (HTR) Program is led by Holly Austin Gibbs, a survivor of child sex trafficking and nationally known expert. Holly regularly provides testimony and input to law enforcement officials, legislators, social service providers, human trafficking task forces, and journalists. Holly is the author of the influential book Walking Prey: How America's Youth are Vulnerable to Sex Slavery.

Dignity Health has created internal educational modules and victim response procedures, e.g., the PEARR Tool, that emphasize the importance of victim/patient-centered and trauma-informed care. These modules and tools are provided to staff in-person and as interactive modules online.

Make an Impact

We are committed to training more staff, establishing more community partnerships and reaching more victims and survivors of human trafficking. Your gift – complemented by Dignity Health’s financial contribution – will be used to address this challenging issue. Donations can be made to Dignity Health Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, and are tax-deductible.

Make an Impact

We are committed to training more staff, establishing more community partnerships and reaching more victims of human trafficking. Your gift – complemented by Dignity Health’s financial contribution – will be used to address this challenging issue. Donations can be made to Dignity Health Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, and are tax-deductible.